Exercises and Projects for Intro to Women's Studies

The following discussion of exercises and projects for an Intro to Women's Studies course took place on WMST-L primarily in late December 1997. At the end are one message from 1996 and one from early 1998 that relate to this topic. Also of interest may be the WMST-L fileentitled Exercises for the First Day of Class. For additional WMST-L files now on the Web, see the WMST-L File Collection.

I'll be teaching an intro to Women's Studies course in the fall, the first forour university, and the first for me. I've found the online information,including this list's archives, extremely helpful. I've read through all ofthe syllabi available in the archive, and I notice that having students keepjournals is common to Intro courses, as are papers and projects. I'm usedto assigning papers, but I'd like more information about the projects some ofyou may use in your Intro courses (since the syllabi don't specify what isrequired in these projects). I would love suggestions about projects thathave worked well for you experienced Women's Studies teachers.Thanks so much for any help!Janet Allured, Ph.D.Department of HistoryMcNeese State UniversityLake Charles, LA 70609jallured @ mcneese.edu

I am looking for suggestions for a film that would provide a vivid,provocative representation of women's institutionalized oppression in its"interlocking" layers, for an intro to ws class. I plan to show StillKilling Us Softly, to get the class rolling on discussing sexism, sexistmessages etc. And I have films planned that cover specific issues:dieting, violence, etc. I have been racking my brain trying to find afilm that would present a more general view of the various layers ofinstitutionalized oppression. I watched the Handmaid's Tale and Stepfordwives hoping for a good distopian film, but feel that these are toolimited, for various reasons...any suggestions?thanks,Kathy Miriamkmiriam @ cats.ucsc.edu

Some fun projects that I use:collect sexist ads/analyze; make collage with sexist ads/ write overcollage or underneath with some text that sums up messageanalysis of housework/summary as practiced in home of family, past or presentI have a different question for list-makers regarding Intro to women'sstudies:What are your strategies for introducing the concept of power intodiscussion? In other words, students seem to accept the idea that ads,the media etc, promote specific gender meanings/stereotypes. they evenaccept that these meanigns are damaging, to both women and men. How doyou teach students that men, although damaged in some ways by gender"roles" or "stereotypes" also benefit? Do you have any effectivestrategies? I have a good selection of readings (for example, Frye),although I always welcome more suggestions, but I am particularlyinterested in strategies of discussion, projects, etc for getting acrossthe concept of power--the issue that is most contentious because itimplies that men will have to give something up, as well as "gain"something (in terms of a more just world, more humane relationships, etc).ditto, all of this, by the way, with respect to discussing whiteprivilege with white students.(anybody have particular success using McIntosh?)thanks in advance,Kathy Miriamkmiriam @ cats.ucsc.edu

On Sat, 20 Dec 1997, Kathy Miriam wrote:> How do you teach students that men, although damaged in some ways by> gender "roles" or "stereotypes" also benefit? ... I am particularly> interested in strategies of discussion, projects, etc for getting across> the concept of power--the issue that is most contentious because it> implies that men will have to give something up, as well as "gain"> something...>Hi Kathy. I agree with you that this point is crucial and tricky to getacross. I've found it helpful in discussion to be very up front about theways in which elite white males and their (witting or unwitting)representatives (including, alas, some women) exploit and exercisepower over other less powerful men (who are then often represented andcoded as less masculine, sub-human, or otherwise deviant from the propermale norm). (An Asian-American student of mine just did a paper on the"demasculinization" of Asian-American men in American films--it waseye-opening for me.) The painful, ugly hierarchy among men--and women'splace in that hierarchy as scapegoats, workhorses, decorations,trophies, doormats, etc.--can be vividly illustrated in many ways (films,anecdotes).When I begin a discussion by talking about the (global, economic andsexual) hierarchy among men, a woman of color in the class willfrequently respond by pointing out that even disempowered men can and dooppress their female counterparts in the familiar ways (unpaid orunderpaid female labor, domestic violence, sexual oppression). At thatpoint, the vast proportions of the tragedy begin to dawn on the students:the oppressed oppress each other while the real power structure remainsunchallenged. Once the discussion gets to this point, the door is openedto discussions of coalitions. I have found it difficult and uncomfortablebut rewarding and honest to take discussions to this point. It forces youand the students to define your politics more clearly and I have foundthat students appreciate this.If you want (and it's not easy), you can also broach another trickyquestion: why does the power structure go unchallenged, despite the factthat it is a pyramid with a few people (mostly white males and theirfavored subordinates, pawns and trophies) at the top and large numbers ofunpaid or low-paid workers at the bottom? What assumptions make thispyramid seem normal and acceptable? What kinds or aspects of feminismchallenge those assumptions? I do think it's important to show thatprivilege is systemic and not just an individual phenomenon.Suzanne Pharr's essay, "Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism," has a phrasein it that my students frequently returned to. Who do gender rolesserve, she asks. "Men and the women who seek power from them." Thisstraightforward expression has the advantage of acknowleging that women(like subordinate men in some ways) can and do have access to patriarchalpower and status if they seek that power by working with or pleasing the(elite white) males at the top--serving those men's interests personallyand/or professionally. This opens the door to discussion of thecompromises and relative merits of "working within the system" vs.theadvantages of operating from the margins. It can also open the door todiscussion of whether women would seek male approval so much if theirsecurity did not depend on it and what women might do in various realmsof life if male approval were less of a priority. In other words, whatwould happen (to men, to women, to the world) if more women werein a position to exercise their own autonomous power rather than seekpower through the chain of command that leads up to the men at the top? Pharr's essay is great because it gives students "the big picture" byconnecting economic exploitation, physical violence and rigidly enforcedgender codes (homophobia and sex role stereotyping both) as things thatthe existing power structure can use to sustain itself. Pharr emphasizesthat economic greed is not only one of the primary motivations forsubordinating and devaluing women; it's also one of the motivations forracism. Some men benefit materially from the exploitation of women; otherswould probably benefit more from teaming up with women to topple thepyramid, but they are prevented from seeing that by sexism...So, to sum up: I talk a lot about the hierarchy among men while trying atthe same time not to forget the reality of male privilege...I hope Ihaven't wandered too far from your basic question....I'm curious to hearhow others approach these issues. Perhaps one project/assignment might beto have students interview men of various ages and ask those men how awarethey are of male hierachy, what factors they think determine their placein it, and where, in their opinion, women fit in.Leah Ulanseyleou @ jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu

Hi all,Thought I would use this topic as an excuse to share my encouragingexperience with women's studies projects and to thank those of you whomade suggestions earlier this semester.I did projects for the first time this semester, and the results amazedme. I put them in groups of about five. The instructions were very broad.I allowed them to do projects based on any one of the topics of the class(sexuality; women's rights movements; beauty, health, and fitness;reproduction/abortion; domestic and sexual violence; tv & movies; andwork), and I encouraged them to be creative. I told them they would begraded on how well they addressed the issues of gender and power; how muchcredible and well researched information they were able to convey; theirorganization; and their presentation. The project was worth 25% of theirtotal grade, and I divided that up a bit based on suggestions of WMST-Lpeople. I made 15% my grade for the group, 5% their self evaluation, and5% their peers' evaluation. Their self evals and peer evals wereterrific. I think perhaps I should have joined both the peer and selfevals, however, and made it 10%.Anyway, the projects were terrific. There was no overlap in terms of thetopics they chose (amazingly). Some of the topics included gender and TVcommercials; the image of Black women in the media; gender and horrorfilms; sexual violence; domestic violence; and eating disorders. They didvideo interviews with students, conducted surveys, and did lots ofresearch. They structured their presentations creatively, including a TVnews format; dramatic readings; audience participation; etc. The projectstended to be both analytical and also personal. I am convinced that theynot only learned a great deal from their projects, they really felt likethey were participating in the process of education--and it became moremeaningful to them.Thanks to the people who offered specific suggestions about how to do peerand self evals. Best,Stacey RobertsonAssistant Professor, History DepartmentDirector, Women's Studies ProgramBradley UniversityPeoria IL 61625309/677-3538smr @ bradley.edu

Hey, amy as well too my own horn too!:) I taught Intro to Women'sStudies last semester. I had them do 2 projects, both of which were verywell received. The first was a "3 generations" project. they had tointerview 3 women from 3 different generations (I defined that as at least10 years apart). They formulated the questions based on class materials. They could pick a theme (such as body image) or ask a variety ofquestions. Students LOVED this. Many (not all) interviewed familymembers) and really learned alot. Most went well over the number ofsuggested pages (6-8). The final project was to create a zine. A zine is ado-it-yourself magazine. I brought in examples for those who didn't know. The could work in pairs or individually. I encouraged creativity andvariety. Again, they could do one topic or be more general (as long as itrelated to women). I was VERY impressed with the results. One studentused heres as a way of coming out, a returning monm struggling with the jobmarket did here's on women's work, a pair did a womenderful one on women'sspirituality,... Aside from projects, I tried to encourage them to be active in theclass. We had women's poetry day, and everyone brought in a poem or 2written by a woman (some brought in poems they wrote). I talked about 3rdwave feminism and why college women were perceived as apathetic. Studentsstarted doing all sorts of proactive things after that (some joined NOW,worked on getting lighting on campus, wrote letters to the editor of thecampus newspaper). After showing "Not a Love Story," women were reallyshaken. They decided to vent their anger on a local store that sold porn. I don't necessarily condone what they did, but I was very pleased that theyreacted actively. chris casmith @ lclark.edu csmith @ axpvm1.cis.pitt.edu

Several people, including Joan Korenman, suggested I post the hand-out Imentioned earlier. So, here is a version I've used when teaching a course on"Women & Theatre: The Politics of Representation" in which students readplays and critical essays each week. As I developed my version, I receiveduseful advice and/or models from Jill Dolan (CUNY), Patti Schroder (Ursinus),and Carolyn Haynes (Miami U). If you borrow ideas from mine, I hope you'llgive me credit too!Sally Harrison-Pepper* * * * * * * * * * *WEEKLY READING JOURNAL GUIDELINESThe purpose of the weekly journal is threefold. First, it will ensure thatyou complete the week's reading in a timely fashion and approach the work ina thoughtful and critical way. Second, the journal will support yourparticipation in more stimulating discussions in class. Third, it will giveyou practice in writing dramatic criticism.OVERALL APPROACHAs a general rule, you should focus your comments in each entry on: first,the play under consideration, and then, the supplemental critical essays. Iwould like to know what you think, but/and have no interest in a summary ofthe materials. I've read the materials, you can assume I have in your entry,and I will trust that you have too! Instead of summary, then, I want you toengage the text; question it; analyze it; respond to it. Locate the spotsyou would like to discuss in class. Try to put at least one specificquestion in writing, so that you can recall and ask this question in class.I will sometimes give you a list of potential questions the previous weekthat you may choose to consider, answer, or include in your response to thefollowing week's materials. But you may als, or instead, ask additionalquestions, muse about concerns, look closely at a character, a moment, or anelement in the play, make an argument about the play or one of thetheoretical/critical essays, take issue with an essay, apply an essay toanother play in the course, compare one week's reading to a previous week, doa close reading of a section of the play or an essay, trace a theme, image,or issue through the play, or deal in depth with what we have read ordiscussed in any way you feel is appropriate.Essentially, I want to know about the issues, problems, themes, or ideas thatarose as you read the play and how the critical essays affected your views. I am seeking depth and detail in your thinking about the course materials. Think about these materials deeply, and then engage with the issues theyraise in your writing. Also, focus on expressing yourself clearly. Say whyand how the material worked to create the meanings you found there. Whatquestions were prompted by the essays? Where do you agree and disagree? What information is new to you and what do you think of it? What questionsdo you wish to raise in class? Where do you stand on the issues raised inboth the play and the essays?I do not expect and do not seek formal, finished essays, though you shouldabsolutely use proper grammar, proofreading, and so on, and should still citethe article or book correctly (putting the page number in parenthesis) sothat both you and I can find the place in the text if we wish and consider itin more detail.I do expect to see thoughtful responses. Please remember, too, that theseare critical/ theoretical response journals. Although the assignment, andfeminist practice in general, encourages a personalized response, yourentries should not be "personal" in the ways a diary or other confessionalform might be. Realize as you write that I want to grade you on yourthinking, analysis, and writing abilities, but not on your politics or yourlife. So, while I am interested in your personal and critical voice, and inyour invested engagement with the material, you may need to find ways totheorize your experiences as they relate to the texts we read.GENERAL PREPARATION DETAILSAlways read the assigned plays and essays in the order in which they arelisted on the syllabus. Sometimes you will be asked to read the play first;at other times, you will be assigned some introductory essays to introducethe play or provide a particular frame through which to view it. The orderin which things are assigned is set-up to provide a certain perspective or toallow a particular angle to build gradually through the essays.Note the occasional writing themes assigned in the Topics & Assignmentssection of this syllabus.You must write a minimum of two typed pages (250 words) each week, and maywrite no more than four pages. Often, writing a short paper is harder than alonger one. You need to select ideas carefully and be very focused.Yes, do observe the conventions of correct writing (i.e. complete sentences,spell checking and proofreading, etc.), since these details reflect anauthor's commitment to and respect for good scholarship. Preparation detailscan affect your grade.And finally: ** LATE JOURNAL ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED **A NOTE ABOUT GRADESA = Journal entries that deserve an "A" are those that take the materialfar beyond the basic requirements of the assignment (journals that simplyfulfill the assignment, on the other hand, are average, and "average" in mybook equals "C"). "A" Journal entries are: carefully written; seemcomprehensive in their scope; may raise useful and/or provocative questionsabout the material; often find ways to bring in readings from previous weeksand begin to draw connections; and, if they use personal experience (which isNOT a requirement ever), find ways to theorize that experience in useful,provocative, and intellectually rigorous ways. An "A" journal entry does notnecessarily comment extensively on ALL the reading, but does find an angle, apath through the material that will provide a response that has depth,critical insights, seriousness, and good writing.B = Journal entries receiving a "B" have clearly addressed the readingmaterials and discussions, but aren't quite specific enough. While "B"journal entries have gone beyond the average assignment, they still need moredepth and breadth of discussion and/or need to be more explicit in theircritical analysis. A journal entry may also receive a "B" if the authorincludes a personal experience but has not made a genuine effort to utilizethe choice in clear theoretical terms that have a relationship to thecritical materials assigned. Most often, a "B" is the result of the writeroverlooking a key point in the essays. "B" Journal entries may seem to skimpon the writer's commitment to delving into the material.C = "C," as mentioned above, means "average." It means the writerfulfilled the basic parameters of the assignment, but didn't do anything morewith the materials. Journal entries receiving a "C" may be superficial intheir approach to the materials, lack detail, or display a lack of attentionto the reading assignments--either missing a key point or maintaining aposition on the material that lacks sufficient support and clarification. "C" journal entries fulfill the basic requirements of the assignment butlack development.

In any of my women's Studies classes, we discuss what it means to "male bash."I generally give the example, ""If I say that 1 in 4 women will be raped by aman, is that male bashing?" Almost universal nos. "If I say all men arerapists, is that male bashing?" Almost universal yeses. Then we talk aboutpatriarchy,and male privilege. We also discuss how patriarchal culture is onebig "female Bash" but few people seem to be complaining about that. And howsaying that women's studies classes are a bunch of "male bashing sessions" is away of dismissing women's studies and stigmatizing it. And trivializing it.Instead of recognizing the rigorous academic work we do, we are reduced tobitching about men and talking about our periods.A big problem I run into is that students will often agree that women areoppressed, but that men are oppressed too (because they are stigmatized if theycry, for example). I refer to Marilyn Frye's article "oppression" forthis one.I do find hate women often become very angry at men and can make some reallynegative comments about men. I validate their anger, but discuss hatingpatriarchy versus hating men. And I encourage them to channel that anger intosomething proactive.Christine SmithLewis & Clark Collegecasmith @ lclark.educsmith @ axpvm1.cis.pitt.edu

>For an activity on the intersection of racism, sexism and heterosexism:>You might choose a selection of Audre Lorde's poems, along with excerpts>from Zami and have folks read them aloud then discuss them.>Jo Ellen Green Kaiser jgkais00 @ ukcc.uky.eduAnother way to use poetry is to use the following exercise I learned ina workshop I attended at a conference several years ago. First divide theparticipants into groups. (What follows allows for up to 6 groups.) Giveeach group an assignment from the following. (Note that you need to havesome materials for options 1 and 2). After some time have each grouppresent. I have used this exercies effectively with poetry on a variety ofsubjects.John KellermeierSUNY Plattsburghkellerjh @ splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu-------------------8<--------------------------------8<------------------- Poem ExerciseGather with your assigned group, read the assigned poem and thencarry out the activity described below:1. Prepare a performance of the poem for the other groups.2. Draw your emotional response to the poem. Do not illustrate the poem -- convey your feelings. After doing your individual drawing gather with the others in your group and share your drawings. Decide how you want to present what went on in your group to the other groups.3. As a group, create a sculpture expressing your response to the poem. You can use anything in this room or anything you can find within the allotted time. Then, you will present your sculpture to the other groups, including some of the process and thinking and feeling that went into making it.4. Write a poem about the poem. Your poem will probably express both the meaning of the poem for you and your attitude toward it. After writing your individual poems, join the others in your group and share your poems. Decide how you want to present what went on in your group to the other groups.5. As a group plan how you would turn the poem into a music video. What type of music would you use? How would you want to use as performers? What special effects would you want to use? And so on. Decide how you want to present your plan to the other groups.6. Write a headline for the poem. This should describe the poem and what makes it newsworthy. After writing your individual headlines, join the others in your group and share your headlines. Decide how you want to present what went on in your group to the other groups.adapted from Claiming Voices: A Workshop in Feminist Pedagogical Theory and Practice presented by Barbara DiBernard, Judy Levin, and Joy Ritchie, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, at the conference on Re-Visioning Knowledge and the Curriculum: Feminist Perspectives, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, April 1990.

This was posted to the Teaching Sociology list and I found that it doesindeed work quite nicely.Best Kelley Leadership, Gender, and the Invisible Ceiling: An Inductive ExerciseType up two sheets of paper, one headed as follows: MASCULINITY AND FEMINITYMark each characteristic with an "M" or an "F" depending on whetheryou think it is generally defined by society as a masculine orfeminine characteristic.The second sheet should be headed so: CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERSMark an "X" by the 10 characteristics which you think are theessential qualities for a leadership position in a complexorganization (business, government, etc)Type with a readable font, but one which is not easily read by someonein a neighboring seat (i.e. use capital letters for the title but donot use an enlarged font). The two sheets should look alike at aglance. Below each heading provide the following list ofcharacteristics, or a similar list of your own construction:_______ achiever_______ aggressive_______ analytical_______ caring_______ confident_______ dynamic_______ deferential (defers to others; yields with courtesy)_______ devious_______ intuitive_______ loving_______ manipulative_______ nurturant_______ organized_______ passive_______ a planner_______ powerful_______ sensitive_______ strong_______ relationship-oriented (makes decisions based on how otherswill feel) _______ rule oriented (makes decisions based on abstractprocedural rules)When you come into class, carry a single stack of papers, with one setof questionnaires at the bottom and the other at the top. As you handthem out, deal off of the top for about half the class, then deal offof the bottom for the rest of the class, being careful everyone in agiven row has the same sheet. Ask the students to fill out the form,but point out that they cannot ask questions. They must simply followthe instructions on the sheet. (I usually have them fill out thissimple survey a day early so I can bring in tabulated results on theday I want to do the actual discussion.)As you might predict, the list of masculine characteristics is usuallyhighly correlated to the list of preferred leadership qualities. Iusually find 14 positive correlations between masculinity andleadership and 3 or 4 negative correlations (3 positive and 14negative correlations for femininity). This can lead to a livelydiscussion of the "invisible ceiling" for women, the catch 22 thatwomen encounter when they do assume leadership roles, problems ofsocialization in our culture, the definitional equations of leadershipand "masculinity" in our culture, and discussion of what constituteseffective leadership. Since the data evolved from the class itself,students are much more likely to take the data seriously. I alwaysbring in census bureau data for differences in income levels for menand women with education held constant, and have the class discuss theconnection between the results of the exercise. There are manydirections one can take with the discussion, but it is always lively-- and I am convinced that EVERYONE understands the notion of theinvisible ceiling after this exercise. Better yet, students comprehendit without dismissing me as that weirdo liberal. THEY put thepatterns together. It works for me.Keith A. RobertsDept of Sociology & AnthropologyHanover CollegeHanover, IN 47243robertsk @ hanover.eduOffice Phone: 812/866-7354Home Phone: 812/866-2449FAX: 812/866-2164